Islanders baseball gameday: Texas

GEORGE TULEY/SPECIAL TO THE CALLER-TIMES
The Islanders' Cody Stephens (R) dives back to first base ahead of the tag by Oklahoma's Matt Oberste at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, Saturday February 23, 2013.

ISLANDERS BASEBALL GAMEDAY

What: A&M-CC (16-12) at Texas (16-11)

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Disch-Falk Field. Austin

The matchup: Coming off taking two of three from Oral Roberts, one of the Southland Conference favorites, the Islanders get to an interesting portion of their schedule. First, it’s Texas. Next, on Wednesday, it’s an exhibition with the Hooks. A&M-Corpus Christi likely will throw an assortment of pitchers at the Longhorns in hopes they can hold Texas close, a juggling act made a little trickier by facing league foe Nicholls on the road this upcoming weekend.

The offense, led by Eric Weiss (.340, 3 HR, 22 RBIs) and Jonathan Gonzales (.333, 4 HR, 27 RBIs), has received a boost at the top of the order of late from Cody Stephens (.284, 24 R, 10 SB-14 ATT). The Longhorns typically throw “staff” when facing the Islanders, with plans to get three or four different pitchers some midweek work. Chad Hollingsworth (3-1, 4.15 ERA) and Toller Boardman (0-1, 9.95 ERA) are among the candidates to see some innings.

The Texas offense has produced only six home runs this season, but has stolen 33 bases in 39 attempts. So the Longhorns’ key to generating runs will be to get runners aboard, including Mark Payton (.421, 16 RBIs, 14 R). The record might not be as solid overall, but Texas still is 13-4 at home and, after A&M-CC upset the Longhorns two seasons ago, don’t expect to see UT take the Islanders lightly.